Telekom Srbija said on Tuesday it had completed the acquisition of Net TV Plus, a broadcaster catering to the Serbian diaspora, as well as the Total TV satellite platform in Serbia and North Macedonia from United Group, further consolidating its influence in the regional media market.
The deal strengthens the Serbian state-controlled telecom operator’s footprint in the Balkans and beyond, raising concerns about media pluralism in a region where Serbia’s economic and political leverage has been growing.
“All users who watched television through Total TV in Serbia and North Macedonia or via Net TV globally will now have access to a significantly larger number of channels, particularly sports and entertainment content such as Arena Sport and Superstar,” said Telekom Srbija CEO Vladimir Lučić. “We believe this expansion will drive subscriber growth both in the region and among the diaspora.”
The company said Net TV users abroad would now have access to over 150 additional channels, bringing the total to 362, including Serbian-language sports, news, and entertainment programming. Customers in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria will also gain preferential access to mobile services from MTEL, Telekom Srbija’s subsidiary, reinforcing the company’s reach into the European diaspora.
Telekom Srbija’s acquisition of Total TV, a leading satellite provider, will allow subscribers to transition to the company’s platform from April, ensuring continuity while further consolidating its hold over Serbian-language media distribution in the Balkans.
The expansion follows the company’s recent purchase of broadcasting rights and assets linked to Sport Klub channels from United Group, transferring premium sports content to its Arena Sport network. The move marks a decisive shift in the region’s sports broadcasting landscape, previously dominated by United Group, a private equity-backed rival that has often been critical of the Serbian government.
“With this acquisition, Arena Sport is now the undisputed home of sports in Serbia and the region,” Lučić said. “It will also become a major profit center, optimizing the costs of international sports content while boosting advertising revenue.”
Arena Sport will now air top-tier European football leagues, including the English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1, as well as the NBA, EuroLeague, ABA League, Formula 1, MotoGP, and various other sports competitions.
Telekom Srbija’s rapid expansion—backed by substantial state funding—raises concerns over media concentration and the erosion of independent journalism in the Western Balkans.
The latest deal further cements Serbia’s growing media influence in North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where local independent outlets have warned of increasing pressure from Serbian-affiliated networks that dominate news.
